Don't Starve! The Eat More to Weigh Less Group

[ShirleyKnot]

Hello!

OK, stemming from this thread I promised to start a thread to explain a little bit more about eating well and still losing weight.

I'll start by telling you about me because I love to talk about me

About 5 years ago (when I was 34) I went back to work full time, this time locally, in a sedentiary desk job. I drive to work everyday and was often far too busy lazy to do any exercise at all. My weight remained fairly static (At about 11 stones, I'm 5ft 7.5 and fairly chunky) for a good couple of years and then it started creeping up.

For the past two years I have skipped on and off WW, SW and I have tried low calorie diets, the lot. My weight has gone up to 12 stone 11 lbs at it's highest and I'm carrying it pretty much all over. My gut though TERRIBLE - It hangs over my knickers and in January my size 16 clothes were starting to strain.

Miserable ain't the word. It has affected my confidence (yes, honestly) and I know that at my age (39) it is only going to get harder to lose.

So, in January I started back on WW. I watched everything I ate, I thought about food compulsively, I went for walks in my lunch hour, and every weekend I fell off the wagon and stuffed my face. WHY? It makes no sense! I gobbled bread and cakes and biscuits and sweets like mad.

In April, after having lost and gained the same 7lbs over and over again I joined BIWI's Low Carb Bootcamp, and started upping my exercise at the gym (Doing classes mainly and swimming and I also started the Couch 2 5K) this is where it got weird...I stuck to the diet, it was pretty easy! I loved the food and didn't feel hungry at all - my endurance during exercise was affected but I thought I'd break through that barrier sooner or later. I watched as people on the thread lost masses of weight and I was completely stalled out. What? WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? I believe that during this time I was eating a good couple of thousand calories per day, plus exercising almost every day.

I left the group as I felt so fed up with not losing and limped back to my fitness pal, but decided to stick with the no crap (no white bread/pasta/rice, easy on the white potatoes, easy on the fruit) WOE. MFP gave me a calorie limit of 1,200 cals per day and I did this for a a few days before starting to feel rotten. I started looking around the MFP community pages and found the Eat More To Weigh Less Group and read every link, and lots of the discussion boards.

It was a lightbulb moment - WHY was I expecting my body to cope on less calories than it needs just to exist? WHYYYYY?

I started EMTWL on 16th May and have lost 1 lb. That doesn't really mean very much though, as the scales are FILTHY liars - but I have eaten very well and am losing inches consistently. Since I started eating more calories (I include BIWI's brilliant Bootcamp in this calculation) I have lost 4.5 inches from my waist and a good couple of inches from my hips, arse and bust. I have dropped a dress size.

OK. I'm going to post this essay and then I'm going to talk a bit about metabolic rate calculations and the sciency bits.

I am eating too much dairy I know, however, I am eating so much cleaner than before. I also have a hell of a lot of calories to eat due to bfing. Reducing the dairy will come as DD3 gets older

Margarine is evil. Nasty plastic stuff.

Coconut lime chicken and rice for dinner this evening.

Well I have 700 calories left (no dinner yet), and I'm not remotely hungry, and my stomach feels spherical. I certainly don't feel as though my body will suspect a famine if I don't eat something else today Perhaps I have miscalculated.

I'd have a tin of tuna with something, but I'd planned that for lunch tomorrow, and I don't like to eat bucket loads of it.

More lentil soup I suppose.

Hi everyone

Shirley - I don't have time to find the bit of the thread where you talked about protein shakes...I made myself a greek yoghurt smoothie with frozen fruit and a handful of seeds/nuts yesterday after circuit training and it was gorgeous - do you think this is enough protein or should I try the powder stuff?

Found this on H&B website - seems pretty cheap as these things go - what do you reckon? Thought I'd order something like that and some flax too seeing as how everyone's going on about it

I take it folk use these to repair muscle after exercise so good for after lifting weights, yes? Which I have started doing...

BUT - I wouldn't be using them as a meal replacement - just as an addition to my food, is that right? Like today, I'm 700 calories under AGAIN and just not hungry, though I'll have some fruit in a bit. But if I'd had a couple of protein shakes today I'd be nearer my target - is that how it works???

Sorry for the inane rambling

Oh, Tobey I might have to try cashew butter next... I'm not too fussed about peanut butter, though I did eat it when I had gallstones as I couldn't tolerate butter.

I made a version of Nigella's chilli ginger basa but with salmon: marinated in ginger/garlic/lime/herbs/chilli flakes- was delish!

I have made an oatmeal smoothie with ready brek (don't think my blender is up to proper oats), flaxseed and strawberries. Looks tastes delicious.

I found this thread yesterday and I think it's frickin' brilliant. In fact I'm shortly off to the gym as I'm so inspired by it. I have set up MFP too.

My weight has been creeping up and up since I moved to the US and I no longer have any sense of what is a normal portion size, so I really need to change my eating habits before I become officially overweight, which I will be if I put on another pound ...

Sugar is the toughest thing for me - I have a massive sweet tooth and I'm on medication that makes you have food cravings, so super-low calorie eating plans never work for me.

Hi Fairphyllis. Welcome to the thread.

Right. Whoever it was (no time to scroll) who didn't like the cocoa fridge porridge, make it with raspberries and maple syrup instead. I've just had some and it was bloody delicious!

1/4 cup porridge oats
1/4 cup greek yogurt (I used low fat)
1/4 cup hazelnut milk (or normal milk)
8 raspberries
1tbsp maple syrup

That's quite a lot of maple syrup, but I do love it. And it's definitely not sour! This recipe comes in at 315 cals/49 carbs/7 fat/11 protein according to my calculations.

Thanks Toby was me that didn't like the cocoa banana one so will give the raspberries a try. I love maple syrup too.

Well, this thing seem to working, I've lost 6lbs in about 3 weeks and I haven't been doing any extra exercise really, just the odd walk here and there. Shirley I love you!

Surely it won't carry on like this though.

I have just ordered next weeks shopping. £116 for two adults and two small DDs. I am slightly horrified but it probably isn't any more than we were spending once you add in the take away and cheap chocolate we aren't eating.

allmuddledup Yay! Well done.

I am experimenting with shifting all of my food times backwards today as I have been not hungry in the mornings and starving all afternoon. Hence, just going to make breakfast now.

Can I just say...

I HATE packing. HATE IT, HATE IT, HATE IT.

As you were.

foosty - BEWARE the H&B protein shakes. I have a tub that I just shudder when I look at - it really tastes "chemically" to me. If you want to try protein shakes then do try My Protein. These are a cheaper option and you can buy samples for 99p each which means if you DON'T like them then you haven't wasted £15.

Welcome to fairphyllis. Please take the time to have a look at the EMTWL group on MFP. Lots of people in the US on there and lots of recipes, support and useful information.

AMU - ! Very well done! How do you feel?

buggy - The earlier you can eat the better IMO. As I boringly say, even a half a banana or a smoothie first thing is a good idea!

minnie - God yes. Me too. I find it very, VERY stressful but I do think that most of that is tied up with my flying phobia - and because I'm USUALLY packing to go on a plane it has got all muddled up in my head. Ha! Maybe I have Packing Phobia as well as the flying one!

Well, the weather here is AWFUL! I actually feel a little nervous in my office as I can hear the wind trying to tug the roof off!

I tried out my PB2 today. I added a tablespoon to half a banana, protein, flaxseed and almond milk and ZOMG! It was lovely. I'm going to make the banana and peanut butter oatmeal for breakfast tomorrow.

Oh and TOBEMESA! How are you getting on with the nut milk?

The kids really like it, especially DS. I had a sip and it was ok, but there's no way I could drink a glass of it. It took me about 5 minutes to pluck up the courage to even take a sip, mostly because of DS shouting "REAL MILK!" every time I got the glass near my mouth, the little shite!

I'm trying to use it in stuff, though. I'm going to brave a smoothie/shake thing with it tomorrow.

DH sabotaged me last night by bringing home a large deep pan pizza (with extra cheese). Naturally I didn't have the heart to refuse to partake... Ah well, am heading for the wilds of Dad-land where there is no WiFi so shan't be able to count cals. Back on Sunday and will restart properly.

Bye Bye TIT (heh). Have a nice time in DadLand!

Tobemesasasa - Oooh, you are being brave! I'm proud of you. (That hazelnut one is especially good on weetabix, tell your DS)

Oooh, I bloody love pizza. I feel starving today. Think I must be premenstrual.

DS never eats breakfast, the naughty boy. But I shall pass it on anyway :o

Hi, I'm back from holiday and feeling positive. I'll be starting again properly tomorrow and have some new foods to try (I'm going to try the fridge oatmeal next week, I can only do baby steps :D)

Can we start a new thread to share recipes? Its hard to keep finding them here!Hi!

Allmuddledup well done I am really hoping that I have the same results although I am not weighing myself so I won't know

Shirley hope the roof stays on - I am oop north so the weather isn't too bad here - it just won't stop raining

Mmm hazelnut milk, I like the sound of that - where do you buy it from??

Am struggling today with my calorie allowance as I was planning on having a little bit of wine this evening but it will seriously eat (no pun intended ) into my calories so I am now sat here at work debating which I want more...food or wine

Hazelnut milk is from Sainsbury's, but Alpro make it, so it must be in all big supermarkets. It's in the long-life milk aisle, with the soya and stuff.

I have no idea what to have for dinner tonight. I am bereft of inspiration, but I think it might be frozen battered cod, chips and beans because I am illing and in need of comfort food, plus it'll be about 8.30 by the time we get back from the gym.

I'm hoping to go to Westfield tomorrow because I really want one of these. Honestly, you have no idea how much I want one. If they're sold out, look out for reports in the Metro of a hysterical woman rampaging around East London.

Thank you, I am feeling good, much more energy and no mid-afternoon slumps, but it seems too good to be true! I know I should SAFTS but can't help myself.

The only thing is that I'm feeling really depressed, just come off ADs and struggling, BUT on the upside I am not binge eating for comfort because I'm nice and full all day. I know that improving my diet will improve my depression too, but think I need to make changes slowly in that respect.

Oh AMU, I'm sorry to hear that you've been struggling with the black dog. Have you spoken to your GP? Are you sure you should be coming off the AD's if it's making you struggle?

I am a great believer that diet and exercise can contribute to feeling better generally (Although I read in the news that a recent study has shown that exercise DOES NOT help to eleviate depression - I'm not convinced by that myself, but I'm not sure if depression lifts = more exercise or More Exercise = depression lifts, IYKWIM?) BUT lots and lots of people also need some help balancing the chemicals in the old brain too, and if you're slipping then you should definitely speak to someone and tell them.

(NO ONE SAW THAT CUDDLE RIGHT?)

TOBES! I was deparate for one of those myself, but then I went for the heart rate monitor instead.

Honestly I think I will cry if I get there and they've sold out.

Haha. Are they available online? you massive drama llama